NON-APPROVED DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES POLICY

Policy statement

Global Talent Pathway is committed to ensuring that our humanitarian and development work is consistent with our vision, mission, and values and informed by our development philosophy, humanitarian principles, including neutrality and impartiality, and our human rights-based approach. Global Talent Pathway is not called to evangelise, provide welfare, or support political agendas and has no mandate to engage in such activities.

In the delivery of this mission, it is important to understand the distinction between ‘development activities’ and ‘non-development activities’ to ensure clear separation between the two and the appropriate treatment of each:

  1. ‘Development activities’ are those which incorporate principles of participation, empowerment, equity, non-discrimination, accountability, and sustainability. These principles are embedded within Global Talent Pathway’s policies and approach.

  2. ‘Non-development Activities’ include welfare, evangelistic and political activities and are prohibited within Global Talent Pathway. These are defined below in the guidance notes. These activities are not in accordance with the development intentions of Global Talent Pathway development programming and are not considered to be ‘Recognised Development Expenditure’ (RDE) or acceptable for receipt of funding derived from Tax Deductible gifts.

Objectives:

The purpose of this policy is to ensure clarity, transparency, and accountability to all our stakeholders.

Definitions

The definitions of welfare, evangelism and political activities used by Global Talent Pathway for both purposes outlined above are the same as the DFAT definitions. They are:

Welfare:

Welfare activities are defined by DFAT as assistance to maintain individuals in a particular condition on a long-term basis, such as institutionalised care programs provided by orphanages, child sponsorship (that is, funds given directly to children or their families, and not funds drawn from child sponsorship and used for development purposes), hospital care programs, hospices, and costs for the maintenance of structures for institutionalised care programs (for example, schools or orphanages). Please note:

  1. Welfare is implemented independently of other sustainable community development activities.

  2. Welfare includes no strategy for integration into a broader community development program.

  3. Welfare is provided on an individual or family basis, rather than on a community basis, and is unconnected to emergency needs; and

  4. Welfare activities are implemented on a long-term basis with no clear exit strategy.

Political:

Political activities are defined by DFAT as supporting a political party, candidate or organisation affiliated with a political party. Examples include:

  1. Agency staff being involved in party political activities.

  2. Agency staff using funds or resources to facilitate or support a specific political party, candidate, or party-political organisation in a local, regional, or general / national election.

  3. Agency staff using funds or resources to facilitate or support a particular politician or faction to gain power within a government or within a political party structure.

Evangelistic:

Evangelistic activities are defined by DFAT as promoting a particular religious adherence, such as activities undertaken with the intention of converting individuals or groups from one faith and/or denominational affiliation to another.

Annex 1: References:

  1. DFAT Registered Development Expenditure Guidance Note (2019) – check for latest updated guidance note before using.

  2. DFAT Aid Programming Guide (September 2001): https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/aid-programming-guide.pdf

  3. DFAT ANCP Manual, March 2020: https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/ancp-manual- march-2020-v2.pdf

  4. ACFID Code of Conduct, Program Principles B1.5-Non-Development Activity